Chapter 8- Exorcism

"Hey, you might want to watch those hurdlers, they're so tight," A black haired boy nudged Sarian in the shoulder with his javelin, and pointed down the track.

"Yes, they are rather good," Sarian sat on the ground, her knees drawn up to her. Even with her track sweatshirt on, Sarian was chilled to the bone.

"I'm Jack by the way; Jack DeLaur." Jack stopped waxing his javelin, and shook Sarian's hand. "I'm the son of the CEO of DeLaur Enterprises."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Sarian McCarthy, one of Milliardo Peacecraft's wards," Sarian squinted at the boy. The sun was killer at this time in the afternoon.

"You're one of Peacecraft's wards? Cool!" Jack resumed his waxing. "He's the Foreign Minister of Defense, isn't he?"

"Sure," Sarian shrugged her shoulders.

"McCarthy, Gregory, Vergers, Xavier, Tad! Get your butts down to the starting lanes! You're going to run the 400m Dash!"

Coach Ryan blew his whistle. "NOW!"

Sarian walked down the track with the four other girls.

"You were talking to Jack DeLaur, right?" a girl named Katie Vergers asked.

"Yes," Sarian took off her sweatshirt, revealing a purple and green, sleeveless track uniform.

"Just to let you know, he's mine," Katie was nudged by her friend, Heather Xavier, suggestively. "He's taking me as his date to the Cherry Blossom Spring Ball."

"I still can't believe he asked you," Daria Gregory. "He's only been going here for what? Three weeks?"

"I can't believe his father is letting him represent the company instead of him!" Gloria Tad walked next to Sarian.

"You don't have to worry about me," Sarian said quietly. "I'm with someone else,"

The girls looked at Sarian excitedly. "Really? Who?" Heather asked.

"Trowa Barton,"

"Oh, he is so cute!" Gloria squealed.

"And he plays a mean electric guitar," Katie added. "His band completely rocks,"

"Band? What band?" Sarian gave Katie a confused look. No one, not even Trowa, had told her about any band.

"I can't believe he didn't tell you! His band, The Exorcism, plays at Shake's Dance Club every Friday night! My god, my favorite song of theirs is 'Getting Closer'. Hey, it's Friday, why don't we all go?" Heather said all this very fast.

"Yeah, come on, Sarian! It will be a great time!" Gloria said.

"Sure, it might be cool," Sarian smiled.

"I'll pick everyone up around nine," Daria said.

"Do you know where I live?" Sarian asked.

"Sure I do," Daria pulled her hair back into a ponytail as they reached the starting lanes.

"How?"

"Let's just say Daria had a brief yet passionate affair with one Duo Maxwell," Katie winked at Sarian as they settled into the blocks.

 * * *

"I'll be back after midnight as usual," Trowa threw on a leather jacket over his ripped jeans and tight, evergreen T-shirt, and headed towards the door.

"Trowa, where do you go on Friday's anyway?" Mika asked, holding a bag of microwave popcorn in one hand, a rental movie in another. She and Quatre were going to watch a movie together.

"You'll never know," Trowa smiled and walked out the door to the waiting van.

A few minutes later, Sarian came down wearing a tight blue top, and a pair of black jeans, and her sandals. She had used her eye make-up to a very nice degree, and her hair fell down over her shoulders.

"Where are you going, young lady?" Duo leaned against the stairway and looked at Sarian.

"None of your business," She answered as a car horn sounded outside. "That's my ride!"

"Hi, Duo!" Daria called from her car as Sarian got into the back seat next to Gloria and Katie. "Aren't you sad this isn't yours anymore?" She made a big show of fixing her tight green top, and flipping her curly auburn hair.

"I want!" Duo made to run out the door.

"Sorry, sucker!" Heather and the girls laughed as they sped away. Duo rushed out the door, and stood gaping on the front lawn.

* * *

Shake's Dance Club was already party central, even if it was only half after nine. It was very dark, and smelled of cigarette smoke and a faint hint of sweat. Colored lights broke the darkness of the club; the only place that was fully lit up was the stage where The Exorcism was playing an upbeat tune. Sarian looked at the exits, the surrounding area, and made plans as to the quickest way to get out of the building if she had to.

Sarian surveyed the band. Trowa was upfront, playing a black electric guitar that Sarian had noticed in his room when she had first been in there.  He was singing a song about pain, and how it had ruined his life, but how he was happy now. He sounded good, a fine, soft tenor.  The bass guitarist Sarian had seen at track practice. He had long, shaggy blond hair, and green eyes. The front of his white shirt read the name 'Eric'.  A boy in Sarian's etiquette class, Shawn, played the keyboard. He seemed to be doing back up vocals. The long- haired red head of the group was at the drum set. His name was Kenny, and he was in Sarian's dancing class.

"Isn't this great?" Katie shouted over the loud music, her blue eye's purple in the dark.

"Yeah, awesome," Sarian looked at Trowa, his fingers dancing along the guitar strings, his voice shouting out the last vocal of the song. This was met by screaming girls, and whooping boys.

"I love you, Trowa! You rock!" shouted a raven-haired girl standing next to Heather.

"Um, he's taken, sweetie," she said, gesturing to Sarian, who gave the girl a furtive glare. "Go crush on Kenny,"

"Hey! Trowa!" Gloria shouted.

Trowa spotted her, and waved. "Hi!" He shouted over the din of the room.

The group of girls moved right up next to the stage.

"We have a surprise for you," Daria said, smiling.

"No more guitar picks, I have enough," Trowa laughed. He was so different; Sarian was shocked at his demeanor. Here, he was more relaxed, more open.

"No, here," Heather and Katie shoved Sarian (who had suddenly found the exit door very interesting) forward.

Trowa's face fell, and it was very obvious that he was shocked. "Sarian, what are you doing here?"

"What way is that to meet your girlfriend?" Katie giggled.

"Yeah," Gloria agreed.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Trowa smiled now, but he seemed more aloof now.

"I met these girls at practice and they told me about your band," Sarian looked at Trowa and smiled. "You sound really good,"

"Hey, Trowa," Eric came over and hit Trowa in the head. "Flirt later, rock now!"

"One second," Trowa took off his guitar, and jumped off the stage. "Hey, Shawn, play 'Getting Closer'. I'm going to sit this one out!" Shawn nodded. Eric took up Trowa's guitar, and the band began to play a slow song.

"Want to dance?" Trowa shouted. Now that the music was back on, the sound was near deafening.

"Sure," Sarian put her arms around Trowa's neck, and Trowa's hands found Sarian's waist.

They danced the entire song, moving slowly from one foot to the other, rocking gently.  Trowa had never seen Sarian's eyes glow as they did now, the iridescent green shining like a light.

"It's really cool that you came out here tonight," Trowa whispered next to Sarian's ear.

"How come you don't tell anyone where you go?" Sarian thought all of this was awesome, the lights, the music, Trowa, everything.

"Oh, Heero knows. Nothing gets past that guy. Duo knows too, he's been here twice in the last month. It's just that, Mika and Quatre wouldn't like this,"

"How come?"

"Because they're different. All of these people here, they're punks and punk rockers. Your new friends are the girlfriends of punks and punk rockers. I'm a punk rocker. Quatre and Mika, they're more preppy,"

"Preppy?" Sarian had never heard this term used before.

"They're perfect, model students. They just wouldn't get this. I can't explain," Trowa looked a bit uncomfortable.

"You don't have to, I get what you mean," Sarian leaned her head against Trowa's chest.

"I'm having a really great time tonight," Trowa said as the song ended.

"So am I," Sarian smiled, and, for the first time in nearly fourteen years, meant it.

* * *

Sarian sat in front of the fireplace in the living room. The clock on the wall read 3:12 a.m. I'd better get to sleep soon, or I'll be dead tomorrow. She took her old Delta Compound uniform, and tossed it into the raging fire.  They began to be devoured instantly, the orange flames burning Sarian's number off of the shirt first. That's right, I'm no longer X213S, I'm Sarian McCarthy: Girlfriend of Trowa Barton and Punk of Atherton-Wexel Academy. This is my own exorcism, the old self is gone, and the new shines brighter than the old. Sarian sat watching the flames eat at her past life, and watched it turn literally to ashes. After the ashes were cool, she scooped them out of the fireplace, put them in a plastic bag, and threw them away in the kitchen wastebasket. She then walked downstairs to Trowa's room. She'd promised him a good night kiss.

* * *

"Has anyone seen my socks?" Duo scrambled to get ready for school. Monday was upon them.

"No, Mika! Did you see my English notes?" Wufei was walking around with his shirt off and a toothbrush in his mouth.

"You know I haven't," the girl remarked snidely as she walked up to the third floor.

Mika opened the door to Sarian's room, and saw that Sarian was already up and dressed. Well, dressed was stretching it. Sarian had not tucked in the tail of her shirt, and opted to leave it hang over her skirt, which was now almost halfway up her thighs due to rolling it up.  She had also rolled up her sleeves, and now they were to her elbows.  Instead of her knee socks, she wore a new pair of fish net tights. Her school shoes had been replaced by her combat boots, and her sweater was tied around her waist. The beret was perched on top of her straight hair, and it seemed to be the only part of the uniform besides the vest that was being worn correctly. At least, in Mika's eyes.

"Sarian! You're not planning to go to school like that, are you?" Mika stopped dead in the doorway.

"Yes, I am. I like the way I look," Sarian grabbed her bag and made for the door.

Mika tried to sit her down. "The least I can do is fix your hair,"

"I'm afraid not," Sarian shrugged her off and walked down the stairs.

"Sarian! You can't go to school in fish nets!" Mika said.

"Sure I can. The student handbook says that female students can wear tights instead of knee socks if they so desire," Sarian walked into the kitchen, and found her an apple in the fruit basket on the table.

"That's not what I meant," Mika sounded a bit worried. "People will not like it,"

"No, your people will not like it. My people will," Sarian bit into her apple.

"Your people? You mean, your hanging out with the punks? No, that is unacceptable,"

"Maybe not for you, but for me, it's fine,"

Duo walked into the kitchen, and did a double take. "Wow, Sarian," he combed his hand through his still unbraided hair. "Looking good,"

"Who looks good?" Trowa walked into the kitchen, sleeves rolled up as well, and shirttail out.

"Your girlfriend," Duo continued to stare.

"Oh, yes she does," Trowa smiled.

Heero walked in and looked at the scene. "Sarian, could I see you outside for a moment?" He headed towards the French doors.

"Sure," Sarian followed him out into the courtyard.

"What is going on?" He asked his sister. "What are you doing?"

"Going to school, just like you,"

"You look almost like a prostitute!"

"Our mother was a prostitute, remember?" Sarian glared at Heero.

Heero sighed. "As your big brother, I can't allow you to go to school like this,"

"But I'm going to," Sarian smiled now.

"I order you not to!" Heero yelled.

Sarian narrowed her eyes and stared at Heero. "You think you can just order me around just because that's the reason we were even created? You're just as bad as Dad!"

Sarian spun around and walked back into the house as Sally came to collect them. Hero saw her order Sarian back up to her room, and a few minutes later, she came down looking the way she was supposed to, only mad. Heero sat down on a bench, and thought about what Sarian had said.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  I hate writing filler chapters! I can't stand them!  DAY feels the same.

There's going to be three different stories in this series. The second one's called 'Karma' and the last one's called 'Enlightenment'. Karma should be out in October, and Enlightenment not until maybe May.  I already have story lines written out, I just have to write the stories. But, have to finish this fic first. It's almost done, just about five or four more chapters. The Gundams won't show up until Karma. Sorry.

Well, that's all I have to say. Read and review. Please.

Suri